Shock and movement absorbing support for automobile-bodies.



i. G. ARCARO.

SHOCK ANO MOVEMENT ABSORBTNO SUPPORT TOR AUTOMOBILE BODIES.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. Il. i918.

Paented Auw. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

SEV@ J. G. ARCARO.

SHOCK AND MOVEMENTABSORBINO SUPPORT FOR AUTOMOBILE BODIES.

APPLICATION. FILE'D MAR. 11 1918.

Patented Allg'. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-Snam 2.

-l T l.

JOSEPH G. Anciano, or New YORK; N. Y.

SHOCK AND MOVEMENT ABSORBING SUPFORT FOR AUTOMOBILE-BODIES.

speciacation of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aus. 27, 1918.

Application mea March 11, 1918. serial no. 221,727.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH G. ARoARo, residing at New York city, NewYork, and being a. citizen of the United States, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Shock and Movement Absorbing Supports for.Automobile-Bodies, of which the following is afull, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of theinvention, Jthough it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as itis obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to personsskilled in the art.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a chassis with my improvedshock-and-movement absorbing devices applied thereto, the automobilewheels nearest the observer being absent and the axles being in section;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of theshock-absorbing bodysupporting devices, the front housing cover beingremoved;

F 3 is a vertical transverse section thereof, taken on the line 3 3 ofFig. 2, the axle being shown in elevation;

Fig. l is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2, the centralportieri of the spring being broken out, and the housing being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the central portion of theshock-absorbing device, show-V ing the front housing cover in place;

F ig. G is a diagrammatic view illustrating different cooperativerelations of the parts of one of the shock-absorbing and bodystabilizingdevices; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section through one of the side members of thechassis frame, showing on a smaller scale and in side elevation amodified arrangement of the parts of one of the devices.

The present invention relates to means for supporting the bodies ofvehicles, particularly those of automobiles, in such manner that thebouncing of thebody. as the vehicle traverses uneven road surfaces, iseliminated.

lt is well known that the common practice of supporting a vehicle bodyyor chassis at the free ends of semi-elliptical springs results in amagnified vertical play of the body of the car, often to a discomfortingextent. Additional expense is incurred in the endeavor to minimize thisdetrimental feature, by the installation of numerous types ofshock-absorbers. n

An object of my present invention is to provide a shock-absorbingsupport for a chassis or vehicle body.v of a type wherein the vehiclewheels accommodate themselves to the inequalities of the road, the bodyof the car being borne along continuously on the same horizontal planewithout appreciable vertical deviation therefrom. y

It is proposed to dispense with the usual elliptical or semi-ellipticalsupporting springs, auxiliary shock-absorbers and such supplementarymeans as are now used for diminishing the jouncing of the vehicle body.It is intended to substitute simple devices that will of themselvesproduce the even, undisturbed travel of the vehicle body that is so muchsought.

@thor novel features becoming Vmanifest hereinafter are, of course, tobe regarded as coming within the scope of the vpresent invention as setforth in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, A, in Fig. l, represents the normal surfaceof a road, resting upon which are the forward and back automobile wheelsD and D, respectively. In this figure, these are the wheels that are onthe side of the motor car that is remote from the observer. The wheelson the nearer side of thecar are not shown, being absent by reason ofthe section through the axles being taken inwardly of said nearerwheels. lt will be understood, however, that the forward wheels D areconnected inusual manner by front axle E and the back wheels D in any ofthe customary modes by a rear axle F. y

A suitable chassis frame, having side members vor sills G. is positionedabove and extends beyond Vthe front and rear axles E and F. The chassisside frame members G one being shown and the other being similar) areconnected to and supported from the front and rear axles E and F throughthe medium of my improvedl shock-absorbing, body-supporting devices,which are to be presently described. As shown in Fig. 1. these devicesare located approximately at the positions usually given thesemi-ellipti- 'shown to swell into cal springs that support the motorcar bodgIv or chassis from the axles in ordinariv automobile iractice.

@ne of the stressed body-supporting and shock-absorbing devices is shownen a larger scale in Figs. 2, 3, #1 and 5, vvliile th automatic actionof its parts is elucidated by diagrammatic Fig. t3. its shown in Fig.Q., a substantiallj.r inverted ll-shaped slide lis provided with anaXle-ieeei;ing socket 2, by means of Which slide 1 is slipped over andrests or is seated upon axle l, vvhich, Whileshown in 1 to be the frontaxle, may, in some types of motor vehicles;y be the rear axle. 0r,socket 2 may be conformed to the housing of a rear axle l?, as shoivn inFig. l.

1n addition to containing axle socket 2, the upper normally horizontalmember` of slide 1 is crueiforn'i, haring outer and inner holt-seatextensions and t, respectively. ll-bolts 5 have their upper closed endsseated in grooves in the upper sides of eX- tensions 3 and l. the spacedlegs of the lj-bolts passing down through a pad formed by the bottomflange of axle Suitable nuts (i applied to the louer ends of the legs ofthe ll-bolts serve to draw the horizontal cruciform portion of slide 1,and therefore the slide itself, into clamped and rigid relation to axleAlso, the bolt-receiving extensions 3 and a provide an increased bearingsurface of slide 1 on axle as shovvu in Figs. tl and a-, iiihereby thepermanent disposition of slide 1 to said axle is maintained Withincreased reliablity.

.Depending from the upper cruciforin portion of slide 1 are the spaced 7of said slide. The lovver ends of slide legs 7 are slotted orbifurcated, as at El, and betvveen the bifurcations of each leg` 7passes a curved lever D of peculiar formation. rllhe loiver end of eachlever 9 shaped into a gear sector 10, hai-ing an appropriate nurnber ofgear teetha The center of rotation of the gear sector is coincident withthe axis of a pivot pin 11 Which passes through the lovver portion ofcurved lever Sl, and has its bearings in the bifurcations of theassociated slide leg 7 hus, to the loiver end portion of each leg` 7 ofslide 'l is piffotall;v connected a curved lever 9, having a ar sector,the sectors of both levers 9 being in continual mesh. y

Curving upwardly as the)T extend outivardlv from pivot pins 11. levers 9are substantially cylindrical upper terminals 12. .llooks 13, whichextend longitudinally of chassis frame side members (l, hare enlargedportions that forni shoulders 1l.- vvliich bear against the inner facesof lever terminals 12. rllhe stems of hooks 1S pass through upper leverterminals 12 and have their outer end pertions threaded. ltluts 16,tio-acting with hook shoulders 1d, rmly lool; hoolrs 13 to the upper'terminals 12 of levers it llfhen desired, washers matY be interposedbetween nuts 16 and said terminals 12, herrn.

it helical spring 17, of suitable site and capacity, extends betweenhooks 13 and is connected thereto by spring terminal-pieces 1S. Saidterminal pieces each have a cylii'idrical portion 19, greeted tocorrespond to the convolutions of spring 17, said portions 19 beingthreaded into the open ends of spring 17. 'Outside the ends of thespring, the terminal-pieces 1S therefor are provided vvith eyes Q0,through which hoolrs 13 pass. Y

lt. non' becomes evident that each individual shocloabsorbing andbody-supporting device includes a member rigidly secured to the axle,and vvhich pivotally supports upivardlT extending levers that spreadapart to have comparatively ivideljv1 spaced apart upper terminals.Also, that the upper terminals are connected by a spring of adequatestrength, said spring tending to draw the upper terminals 12 of leversi) together, therebyY drawing said levers up- Wardlv.

Coinprised in each of the vehicle bodysupporting devices is a bracket orpedestal 21 having an angular connection member 22 conformed to thechassis frame side member and strongly secured thereto, as by rivets Q3.BelenY its upper angular portion the bracket or pedestal Q1, in the formillustrated in Figs. 1 to G inclusive7 curves outrardlv and thendownwardly, and is pro- `"ided with depending legs 24 alined vvith leas7 of slide 1 that is secured to axle E. Means for holding legs 2% and 7from mutual lateral displacement, and for insuring the proper relativesliding relation between these legs, is provided. They may be of anjvvsuitable type, but are shown as com prising guides on legs Qd which fitinto guide grooves on legs 7, as best shoirn in Fig. l.

Lilie 7, legs Qd have their levver end portions slotted or bifurcated,as at 27, Other pivot pins 28 pass through and are mounted in circularapertures in the bifurcations of legs Each pivot pin QS not onli7 passesthrough a circular hole in each bifurcation of the leg- 21 it isatliliated ivith, but also through an arcuate slot 29 in its associatedlever 9. Slots :29 compensate for and permit the parallel movement oflegs 7 and 2st. llushings 11 and 29 are inserted in the holes and slotsthrough which pins 11 and to resist any possible. undue near tending todeform said holes and Gear sectors 10 and slide 1 are protectivelgTincased. Sis sheivn in Figs. 3 and 5, a housing having an inner or baelrsection .30 and a front cover 31 attached thereto is emplojved, but saidhousing mai7 be constructed in any suitable manner that provesadvantageous. Both the back section 30 and front cover 31 are neatlyconformed to the contour of pedestal 21, and are secured thereto and toeach other in any appropriate manner, as by screws 82, there beingsuitable openings through the housing for the pas sage and movement ofthe parts. A strip 38 is secured to the bottom of sectionBO to receivethe screws passing through the bottom of cover 31.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be appreciated that the front and rearaxles E and F, respectively, which are supported from the ground throughthe wheels, in usual manner, have my improved shock-absorbing devicesmounted upon them'in the approxi mate positions of the usualsemi-elliptical springs. It is also clear that legs 24 of the bracketsor pedestals 21 are borne by the curved levers 9 through the agency ofpivot pins 2r. The brackets or pedestals 21 being rigidly secured to thechassis side frame members G, the chassis, and therefore the body oi'the motor car, is supported, through pedestals 21, their legs 24 and thepins 28, from the curved levers 9. Said levers, in turn, are supportedindirectly from the axles and by the stiil springs 17 that connect theupper terminals of associatey pairs of leversl 9.

The operation of each device or' the set or" shock-absorbing,body-supporting devices, while the motor car is traveling, is similar,and it will, therefore, suiice to describe the action of one.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the chassis, of which the side member is designated asGr, represents the usual load lof the superstructure of the vehicle.That is, it may be regarded as indicative of the weight of the vehiclebody, without the addition of passengers, baggage or the load ofextraneous objects. Under these conditions, the pedestal 21, throughlits legs 2st and pins 28, imposes sufficient load on the associatedpair of curved levers 9 to spread their upper terminals 12 sufficientlyto stretch spring 17a given extent, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Spring 17may consequently be said to be shown in normal position in Fig. 2 and inthat position in fullV lines in Fig. (i.

lVhen the wheel D or D encounters an obstacle, as a ridge or stone,indicated at B in Fig. 1, it will be driven upwardly thereby, raisingthe axle, as E. to the dot and dash line position indicated in Fig. 6.Slide 1 also moves up correspondingly, yits legs 7 sliding upwardlyValong pedestal legs24.y also as shown in Fig. 6. Pins 11, which connectslide legs 7 with` levers 9, are moved up by the raising ot slide 1,thereby turning levers 9 to rotate their long arms downwardly about pins28 that have bearings in the lower ends of pedestal legs 24. Slots 29 inlevers 9 automatically readjust themselves to pins 28, without raisingor lowering said' pins appreciably, as shown in Fig. 6. Obviously, saidpins 28 are still supported by the walls of slots 29, and, said pins 28not having changed their vertical positions, the pedestal 21 and chassisside ramememberGr have also been held supported at substantially aconstant distance from the `normal or theoretical surface of the road.This occurs notwithstanding an actual uneven surface of the road.

As pins 11.. are moved up with legs 7 of slide 1, lever slots 29permitting relative par allel sliding of slide and pedestal legs 7 and24, respectively, the longk arms of levers 9 move downwardly, theirupper terminals 12 spreading increasingly apart. The tensionA developedin spring 17 increases as well, and, as the wheel D or D resumes travelyon the normal surface of the road, pulls the upper ends of levers 9back to their normal positions, spring17smoothly floating to its dierentpositions as it is free of the vehicle body and pedestal. The othermovable'parts of the device are accordingly restored to their usualpositions.

l'"Vhile the movable parts referred t0 are automatically adjustingthemselves to the inequalities of the road, they are; constantly underthe control of `the disturbing forces and the balancing and rectiyinginfluence of spring 17. Moreover, because of the constant mesh betweengear sectors 10, the stress resulting from the forces disturbing axle Eand its associated parts, as well as the stress from spring y17, iscqualized throughout the duplicate portions of the mechanism of thedevice. Furthermore, the load on levers 9 is concentrated at pins 28.Each lever 9 in acting, therefore, has a short arm extending toward pin11 that is attached to slide 1 and a long arm from pin 28 extendingtoward an end of spring y17. Consequently, in turning, levers 9oscillate about the axes of pins 28, which float in slots 29. The axesof pins 28 become the neutral points of turning for levers 9; said pins28 therefore not moving up or down. cushioned by saidspring, which makesits expansion and contractionA substantiallyV horizontal, te., in adirection that exerts no influence to displace the chassis and vehiclebody in a rvertical direction. Fig. 6, slide 1. levers 9, the sectors 10on their lower ends and the spring 17 respond` readily to thejouncing'inliuence of road obstacles and rise and fall, but thisiniiuence is notv transferred to the pedestal legs 21, and

there is no consequent bouncing of thei ,125 li the wheel, as D',strikes a depression,-

chassis and the vehicle body. r

as C in Fig. 1, the axle moves downaccordingly, the parts allowingspring 17 to fur- The action of said parts isv As shown in in so acting,again turn about pins 28, pen mitting pins ll to be lowered ivith slidel. is before pins Q8, under the influence ot the abnormal stresses, andthrough the auto matic adjustment ot the movable parts, are neitherraised nor lowered, and this is true of the chassis or vehicle bot y.

Fig. T illustrates a modilied arrangement of some oit the parts shoivnin Figs. l to G inclusive. rlhe structure is substantially identicalwith that of those tigures, except` that the pedestal 2lil and its legs2e depend directly vertically, so that most of the parts are immediatelyunder the chassis side trame member G. The spring 1T and the upperportions of levers 9a remain as positioned in Figs. l to 6, butthe'levers 9a are bent laterally to bring their loiver portions intoposition to pass between the bifurcations at the levier ends oi pedestallegs rllhis type l preier to use in connection ivith tront axles ofmotor cars, wherein it is noiv customary to place semi-ellipticalsprings under the chassis side trame members, to malto a supportingconnection between the 'front axle and the chassis frame.

rllhere are relatively teuf parts in each ot my de 1ices, and these areof rugged con struction. rlhe action oi t-he parts is delicately andautomatically responsive to road irregularities of varying degrees, aswell as being cushioned. The parts can easily be produced by standardmethods ot manufacture, and at a loiv cost.

What l claim is:-

l. The combination with an axle and vehicle body, of a shock andmovement absorbing device comprising members respectively rigid withsaid axle and body and relatively slidable to each other, levers eachpivotally connected to both oi said members, and tension meansindependent oli cooperative contact with the vehicle body and saidmember rigid therewith and tending to dra v. the tree ends of saidlevers toward each other.

Q. rlho combination ivith an aXle and vehicle body, of a shock andmovement obsoib ing device comprising relatively slidable membersrespectively rigid ivith said axle and body` levers, tension means treefrom the vehicle body and said member rigid therewith and tending todraw the outer ends ot said levers toivard each other, and pivotalconnections betvveen each lever and both ot said members, whereby saidbody is supported from said levers Without vertical displacement.

8. rlie combination With an axle and vehicle body, of relativelyslidable members respectively rigid ivith said axle and body, leverseach pivotally connec'ed with both oi said members to oscillate aboutthe centers ot rotation et their pivotal connection with the memberrigid ivith said body, and tension means tending to draw said leverstoward each other to support the last mentioned member substantiallyvertically stationary, said means being movable bodily relative to saidlatter member.

4t. rlibe combination With an axle and veliicle body, oit slidablyengaged members respectively rigid with said axle and body, levers eachpivotally connected to both of said members, and iloatingstress-developing means co-acting ivith said levers whereby the memberrigid ivith said axle is permitted to rise and descend and the memberrigid with said body is maintained substantially rertically stationaryn5. The combination ivith an aidel and vehiele body, ot slidably engagedmembers respectively rigid vrith said axle and body, levers eachpivotally connected to both oi said members, tension means tending todraiv Corresponding terminals of said levers toward each other andmeshing gear means carried by the opposite end portions ot said levers,thereby equalizing the stress in the various parts olt the device.

o. rThe combinationV ivith an axle kand vehicle body, of membersrespectively rigid ivith said axle and body and engaged for parallelrelative sliding, levers, pivots connecting each lever With both of saidmembers, there being slots in said levers co-acting i with certain otlsaid pivots to permit the relative sliding or" said members, and tensionmeans connecting tree ends of said levers.

i". in a shock and movement absorbing device, a slide adapted tor rigidcombinav tion ivith an axle and having spaced legs,

levers pivoted to said legs, tension means connect-ing said levers, anda pedestal for attachment to a vehicle body and provided ivith legsarticulatedly supported on said levers and engaged With the slide legstor mutual guidance. Y

8. ln a shocl and i'novement absorbing device, a slide comprising acrucitorni crosspiece and slide legs connected thereby, portions' oitsaid crucitorm piece forming an axle seat, levers connected to saidlegs, tension means connecting said levers and a pedestal having legsborne by said levers and engaged with said slide legs for relativeguided sliding.

ln a shocl and n'iovement absorbing device, a slide adapted tor rigidcombina tion with an axle, levers pivoted to said slide, tension meansconnecting said levers, and a vehicle-body-supporting pedestalcomprising spaced legs engaging said slide and provided ivith pivot pinbearings in their loner portions, and pins held iii-said bear-ay ingsmounting said pedestal on said levers.

l0. ln a shock and movement absorbing device, an axle-carried slide, avehiclewbodysupport-ing pedestal, pivot pins mounted respectively onsaid slide and pedestal, companion levers each provided with suitableapertures for the receptioi'l of some of the pins carried by said slideand pedestal and having means for regulating the movement of itscompanion lever, and stress-developing means applied to said levers.

ll. In a shock and movement absorbing device, a pair of co-acting leversprovided With meshig gear members at contiguous end portions thereof,said levers each having a hole and a slot, stress developing meanseo-acting with said levers at points nearer their opposite ends, anaxle-carried slide and a pedestal, and pins carried thereby entering theholes and slots of said levers.

I2. In a shock and movement absorbing device, a pedestal, a slidemovably engaging the same, pivot pins carried by said pedestal andslide, levers having meshing gear seC- tors and being apertured for thepassage of said pivot pins, and spring means connecting free endportions of said levers and being adapted to be placed under varyingdegrees of tension thereby.

I3. In a shook and movement absorbing device,- a pedestal with dependinglegs, a slide With legs movable along said pedestal legs, a pair oflevers pivotally connected to the legs ofv said pedestal and slide, saidlevers have gear members in mesh, a removable housing for said gearmembers and slide secured to said pedestal, and tension means connectingsaid levers.

14. In a shock and movement absorbing device, a lever adapted to turnabout an axis intermediate its ends, means to apply rotary force to saidlever on opposite sides of said axis, a load-carrying member, and afloating pivot connecting said member and lever, the pivot axisconstituting the center of rotation of said lever, whereby said pivotand load-carrying member remain unaffected by the turning of said lever.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tivoWitnesses.

- JOSEPH Gr. ARCARO.

l/Vitnesses:

CHARLES L. Bnnonnn, SAM SCHMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

